NHL DFS Slate Summary: Saturday, March 2nd
Welcome to the RotoGrinders NHL DFS Slate Summary. In this article, we’ll concentrate on the key elements of DFS success while delivering analysis on the upcoming slate of NHL games for DraftKings and FanDuel. We’ll discuss today’s NHL DFS player projections, player correlations and NHL stacking, NHL starting lineups, differentiation tactics using NHL projected ownership, and recommendations on ways to create lineup diversity if entering multiple lineups using LineupHQ.
NHL DFS Picks: Slate Summary for Saturday, March 2nd
Slate Overview
After back-to-back 12-gamers on Tuesday and Thursday, this 8-gamer feels like a walk in the park. It also happens to be my favorite slate size, both to write about and to play in. I’m going on a date with my wife tonight, so TBD if I’ll actually be brave enough to play and sneak off to the bathroom to check inactives…
The slate is pretty simple on the surface. Two teams stand out in a major way: The Lightning at home against the Canadiens and the Stars at home versus the Sharks. I’ll cover both in detail below, but here are some quick thoughts. As far as team totals go, I’d be more likely to bet that the Stars finish with more goals than the Lightning. Vegas bears that out, as the Stars’ 4.6 team total is one of the highest of the year, while Tampa Bay’s is 4.1, which would normally be a slate-high total. The challenge is that the scoring is more concentrated for the Lightning, making it more appealing for fantasy. What makes this easier to manage is the fact that the Stars’ pricing on DraftKings is an absolute joke. Thanks DK.
After these two teams, there isn’t a ton that stands out. The Flyers, Flames, and Maple Leafs are technically the next up, although you can poke holes in them just as easily as making the case for them. Nailing the secondary stacks will be crucial, as so much ownership will concentrate on the two chalky teams. Let’s break it down.
Top Skaters
Nikita Kucherov
DraftKings $9,600
Let’s get the one or two negatives out of the way just in the interest of full disclosure. Kucherov has cooled off slightly of late. In his last five games, he has three where he managed just a single assist.
All right, now for the good stuff. In two of the five games I mentioned above where he did manage more than a point, he exploded for four points and three points, good for an average of 30 DK points per game. He’s leading the league in points, which, as it turns out, is really good for fantasy points too. Analyses like that is why RG pays me the big bucks.
He faces the Canadiens, who are one of the worst defensive teams in the league. He and the Lightning will also benefit from facing Cayden Primeau rather than Samuel Montembeault, who has been excellent lately. In his two previous meetings against the Canadiens, Kucherov had multiple points in both. He’s essentially even money to do so tonight and has easily the top raw points projection.